#security-clearance — Trump Fail

Trump's Most Loyal Aide — Natalie Harp, the "Human Printer" Who Sits Just Outside the Oval Office and Handles His Truth Social Account — Worked More Than a Year Inside the White House With No Security Clearance, Repeatedly Refusing the Standard Vetting Every West Wing Staffer Undergoes, Until Trump Personally Intervened to Get Her One; a Former CIA Official Called It "Mind-Boggling"

Natalie Harp — one of Donald Trump's closest and most devoted aides, known as his "human printer" for the stream of flattering news clippings and poll numbers she hands him, who sits just outside the Oval Office and has access to his Truth Social account — worked inside the White House for more than a year without a security clearance, according to reporting broken by MS NOW on August 19, 2026. The clearance is a routine step every West Wing staffer completes; Harp repeatedly declined to fill out the paperwork after Trump returned to office in January 2025, and her reason for refusing was never made clear. The problem is her access: national security officials noted that her physical proximity to Trump — in both the West Wing and the residence — gives her exposure to more sensitive information than almost any other senior official, and she had it for a year while un-vetted. Concern grew inside the White House counsel's office and among security officials until Trump himself intervened, after which Harp finally submitted the forms, underwent a federal background investigation, and received the clearance in recent months. A former CIA official called the situation "mind-boggling." Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded that Harp "has a security clearance like everyone else" and called her a dedicated team member. The episode fits a documented pattern of the administration treating the national-security vetting system — the safeguard that exists to keep the un-vetted away from classified information — as optional for loyalists: FBI Director Kash Patel similarly granted deputy Dan Bongino a waiver around a key clearance while giving him access to the President's Daily Brief.

Trump Put His Housing Official — Who Had No Security Clearance, No Intelligence Experience, and Asked If He Could Take the Presidential Daily Brief Home — in Charge of 18 Spy Agencies, Then Told Him to Mass-Fire Intelligence Workers: He's Fired 50+ Officials, Plans to Cut 300-400 from the Counterterrorism Center Built After 9/11, and Even Republicans Say "We Don't Need a Weaponized DNI"

Acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte — who had no security clearance, no intelligence experience, and previously ran the Federal Housing Finance Agency where he filed criminal referrals against Trump's political enemies for alleged mortgage fraud — began mass-firing intelligence officials on July 2, sending termination notices to over 50 career intelligence professionals. Pulte has ordered staff to identify 300-400 employees for dismissal from the National Counterterrorism Center, the operations floor built after 9/11 where CIA, FBI, and ODNI personnel monitor active terrorist threats. He was appointed after Tulsi Gabbard resigned as DNI in May, citing her husband's cancer diagnosis. Trump had nominated Jay Clayton as permanent DNI but then sabotaged his own nominee's confirmation hearing, canceling it hours before it was scheduled and conditioning it on Congress passing the SAVE Act voter ID bill — which the Senate has rejected twice. This caused FISA Section 702 surveillance authority to lapse for the first time in history, as Democrats refused to reauthorize it with an unvetted acting DNI. Senator Mark Warner revealed Pulte asked to take the Presidential Daily Brief home — "the most classified information" in government — and "didn't even know" that was against the law. In his only briefing at ODNI, Pulte asked what level security clearance he had and whether he got a government plane. At FHFA, Pulte filed criminal referrals against Senator Adam Schiff, Fed Governor Lisa Cook, AG Letitia James, and Rep. Eric Swalwell — all Democrats — using Palantir AI tools to search mortgage records of Trump's perceived opponents. Trump told Pulte he could declassify "whatever" he wants. Senate Majority Leader John Thune: "We don't need a weaponized DNI. We need professionals there." A former intelligence official: "This is a fantasy. It only hurts U.S. national security, and it's helpful to Russia, China, and Iran." Another: "It would be like me taking over a hospital and firing dozens of surgeons in a matter of days." Rep. Jim Himes: "If he just starts willy-nilly firing people, it is going to increase the probability that there is a terrorist attack inside the United States." Gabbard had already cut ODNI by 30% — over 500 staffers. Pulte is cutting deeper. The agency created to prevent another 9/11 is now being dismantled by a man who didn't know he couldn't bring classified documents to his house.

Pentagon Hires Convicted January 6 Rioter for Highly Sensitive Counterterrorism Job — He Has Zero Counterterrorism Experience

The Trump administration hired 24-year-old Elias Irizarry — who pleaded guilty to entering the Capitol through a broken window on January 6, was sentenced to 14 days in jail, and then pardoned by Trump — to work in the Pentagon's Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict office, specifically the irregular warfare and counterterrorism section. The unit handles hostage rescue, embassy security, and personnel recovery. Every position requires a top-secret security clearance. Irizarry has zero counterterrorism experience. His LinkedIn lists "Patriot" as his profession. He ran for state office and lost. The Pentagon called him "a qualified, patriotic young professional." Staff internally question how someone convicted of assaulting American democracy can be trusted to defend it.

Kushner-Ivanka Nepotism and Security Clearance Override

Trump installed his daughter and son-in-law in senior White House roles despite anti-nepotism laws, then overrode intelligence officials to grant them top-secret clearances. Kushner later received a $2 billion Saudi investment.